Register



July '5, 1949.

J. S. JOHNSON ETAL REGISTER Filed Oct. 3, 1944 KARL LEON Baas Y H4225; K/scH flmflz w m 1M mm ma Arne/vase Patented July 5, 1949 REGISTER James Stanley Johnson and Karl Leon Bedell, Los Angeles County, Calif. said Bedellassignor to said Johnson Application October 3, 1944, Serial No. 557,032

Claims.

Our invention relates to a register and more particularly to a register including a register head adapted for delivering air from an air duct to either of two outlet openings or to both outlet openings in any desired proportions, whereby two adjacent rooms may be efficiently served by a single duct.

One of the objects of our invention is the provision of damper means which is easily operated to effect the control of the air delivery to the outlet openings, which damper means remains in the position in which it is set either to direct all of the air from the duct to one of the outlet openings or to divide the air from the duct between the two outlet openings in any desired ratio.

Another object of our invention is the provision of such a register which is simple and economical of manufacture, positive in operation, sightly in appearance, and adapted for quick and easy installation.

Embodiments of our invention capable of accomplishing the foregoing and other objects are described in the following specification, which may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partially sectioned of our register installed in a wall;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the register illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating a modified form of actuating means of our invention; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only, the numeral I I indicates a housing, preferably made of sheet metal of suitable thickness. The housing H includes end walls l2 and I3, the sides of which diverge downwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 2'. The housing includes also a top wall [4, preferably fiat, and parallel vertical side walls l5 and I6 connecting recessed portions at the lower ends of the end walls [2 and i3.

Mounted within the housing H is an air delivery shell I! which includes end walls 18 and IS, the side edges of each of which diverge downwardly to juncture with the side walls and i6 and then extend vertically downwardly in contact with such side walls l5 and [6 to whichthe end walls l8 and 19' are secured. The shellll 2 includes also a top wall 2| preferably fiat and connecting the end walls l8 and I9.

As is well illustrated in Fig. 2, the top wall 28- is spaced from the top wall M of the housing ll, and the end walls t8 and I3, as illustrated in- Fig. are spaced from the end walls l2" and 13, respectively; of the housing H so that a primary insulating air space M is" provided around the ends and the top of the air delivery shell l ltoprovide for stability of the structure. A spacing member 22*, L-shape in form, has one leg secured to the top of the top wall 20 of the shell H, the other leg being of such dimension that it contacts the lower surface of the topwall M of the housing I i. Similar spacingmembers 23 and 24* are connected to the end walls l8- and H) of the shell lland contact the endwalls- 12 and I3; respectively, of the housing I l. These spacing members 22 to 24, inclusive, may be connected, iidesired, tothetop wall M and the end walls It and I3 of the housing ll, though such connection is not necessary.

A top secondary insulating air space 25 is provided by a wall member 26- having ahorizontalportion 21 parallel to and spaced from the top wall- !4 of the housing ll and having vertical portions 28 connecting the horizontal portion 21 to horizontal flanges 2 9 which are suitably se cured as by soldering to the upper surface of the top wall M. Similarly, secondary and insulating air spaces 30 and- 31 are provided by wallmembers 3% and 33' formed in the same manner as the-wall member 26 and attached to the end walls l2 and I3 of the housing H. The wall members 26, 32, and 33 are so dimensioned as to permit their reception within thepartitionof a building, and the secondary insulating air spaces 25, 36 and 3 I, together with the primary insulating air space 21-, efiectively insulate the partition from the air Within the air delivery shell ll.

The-numeral 34 indicates a dam-per in the form of a rectangular plate of suitable material, such as sheet metal; having recessed portions 35 and 36 inits ends and somewhat above the horizontal center line of the damper 34 The damper 34 is supported by twosupporting members or rails 31 and 33, respectively, which are suitably attached as by welding or bolts to the inner surface of the end walls- I3 and t9, respectively, of the air delivery shell l-l. The-rails 31' and 38- extendintothe recessed portions 35 and- 330f the damper 34 so that upper boundaries 39: and 40 of the recessed portions 35' and 36-, respectively, rest upon and slide along therails 31 and 33 as the damper 34 is moved to di-fterent positions.

Suitably secured as by soldering or bolts to the inner surfaces of the end walls l8 and I9 of the air delivery shell I! and adjacent the top wall 20 of the air delivery shell I! are two bafile members 4| and 42. As is well illustrated in Fig. 2, the bafile members 4| and 42 converge downwardly, and their adjacent ends are separated a distance somewhat greater than the thickness of the damper 34 so that the upper portion of the damper 34 may project between the battle members 4| and 42. The bafile members 4| and 42 serve the purpose of pivoting the damper 34 for swinging movement while permitting it to move vertically during such movement. The baflle members 4| and 42 also serve the purpose of directing the air delivered by a duct or air delivery passage 43 to the air delivery shell ll outwardly into the room.

The damper 34 may be moved to the desired position either by pressure exerted against it by a suitable rod such as the rod usually employed for lighting a floor furnace or, if desired, by hooking such a rod or any suitable rod through an opening 44 formed for such purpose in the damper 34. We prefer, however, to employ actuating means which are permanently assembled as a part of the unit. One form of such actuating means is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, and indicated generally by the numeral 45. The actuating means 45 includes two bell-cranks 46 and 4! which are pivoted upon bolts 48 and 49 mounted in either the end wall it or the end wall IQ of the air delivery shell I'l. Each of the bell-cranks 46 and 41 has one arm 50 which extends beyond the housing H a sufficient distance and is suitably formed for being manipulated by one operating the damper 34. Each of the bell-cranks 46 and 41 includes also a depending arm to the lower end of which is pivoted one end of a link 52. The other end of each of the links 52 is connected to a bracket 53 mounted upon the damper 34.

The actuating means 45, as illustrated in the drawing, is so positioned that the brackets 53 are between the recessed portions 35 and 36 and the upper edge of the damper 34 and adjacent such recessed portions. However, the actuating means 45 may be positioned so that the brackets 53 are at any desired position intermediate the upper and lower edges of the damper 34.

The housing II is provided with two decorative face plates 54 and 55 adapted for covering the sides of the housing Each of the face plates 54 and 55 includes a grill 56 through which the air is directed and a frame 51 extending beyond the ends and the top of the housing I and abutting a wall 58.

In the conventional form of dual register head the damper is pivoted at its upper edge and actuated by a linkage, gears, or the like. With the conventional linkage arrangement employed with a damper so pivoted, the leverage is usually such that the frictional resistance to movement of the damper is least when the tendency of the damper itself to move is the greatest, i. e., when the damper is in either of its extreme positions. With either a linkage or gear mechanism for actuating such a damper, if the mechanism is designed to provide suflicient frictional resistance to retain the damper in positions which are substantial variations from the vertical, such mechanisms are expensive or difficult to operate or both.

As the level of contact of the damper 34 and the rails 31 and 38 is moved upwardly relative to the horizontal center line of the damper, the ease with which the damper 34 may be moved is increased, and the frictional resistance to 4 movement which retains the damper 34 in the desired position is decreased; conversely, as such level is moved downwardly relative to the horizontal center line of the damper, such case of actuation is decreased, and such frictional resistance is increased. Likewise, if the rails 31 and 38 are formed so that their upper surfaces are curved with their highest portions in the centers of the rails 37 and 38, the resistance to movement of the damper 34 from its vertical position is decreased; conversely, if the rails 31 and 38 are formed so that their upper surfaces are curved with the lowermost portions at their centers, the resistance to movement of the damper 34 from its vertical position is increased. By relating the form of the upper surfaces of the rails 31 and 38 to the vertical distance of such surfaces from the horizontal center line of the damper 34 so that the frictional resistance to movement of the damper 34 is only suflficient in all of its positions to cause the damper 34 to remain in such positions when so set, there is provided the maximum ease of actuation for the actuating means 45.

We have found that, if the rails 31 and 38 are so positioned that their upper surfaces are between the horizontal center line of the damper 34 and its upper edge and nearer such center line than the upper edge, and these upper surfaces are made perfectly horizontal, the frictional resistance to the movement of the damper 34, if it be formed of thin sheet metal, is just sufficient to retain the damper 34 in any position in which it is set, and by manipulation of the arms 59 of the bell cranks 46 or 41 the damper 34 may be easily moved between any of its positions. The baffle members 4| and 42 serve to guide or pivot the damper 34 while permitting it to move vertically as it is swung upon the rails 31 and 38.

The surfaces of the rails 37 and 38 contacting the damper 34 may be of such contour and so spaced from the horizontal center line of the damper 34, that, during all of the movement of the damper 34, its center of gravity remains at the same elevation or sufficiently near the same elevation that the frictional resistance to movement of the damper 34 retains it in any position in which it is set Without any other restraint, such as friction in the actuating means 45.

In the embodiment of our invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 the parts corresponding to those illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 and previously described are correspondingly numbered. Actuating means 59 is provided in the form of a rod 60. The rod 60 is preferably circular in cross section and is rotatably mounted in brackets 6| suitably secured to the inner surface of one of the end walls l8 or H! of the air delivery shell ll. Spirally wound and suitably secured, as, for example, by soldering or welding upon the rod 68 between the brackets 6| is an engaging member 62 of any desired cross-sectional outline and illustrated as circular in cross-sectional outline. The engaging member 52 is made of a length such that its ends are adjacent the brackets 6|, an axial movement of the rod 60 is thus prevented.

The rod 60 extends through an opening 63 in the damper 34. The opening 63, as is illustrated in Fig. 5, has a horizontal dimension greater than the diameter of the rod 60 and less than the effective diameter of the spiral formed by the engaging member 62 and a vertical dimension substantially larger than the diameter of such spiral whereby the engagement of the engaging member 62 with the damper 34 serves to move the damper 34 upon rotation of the rod 66. The rod fill serves in this embodiment of our invention both as a supporting means or rail member and an actuating means. If desired, a similar rod with or without an engaging member 63?. may be positioned at the other end of the register head and received in a suitable opening in the damper 34. Likewise, if desired, there may be employed, instead of the rod 6t and the engaging member 62, spirally wound thereon, a fiat strip twisted into spiral form and passing through an opening of suitable outline in the damper The rod Bil projects beyond the faceplates 5d and 55, and each of its ends is provided with a knurled portion 54 which facilitates its rotation by the operator. In lieu of the knurled portion 64, each end of the rod til may be flattened or provided with a crank or handwheel or the like either permanently or removably secured thereto to facilitate the rotation of the rod 68, if desired. Our invention may with advantage be employed in a register head with a single outlet opening.

The brackets 6| may with advantage be mounted for vertical adjustment on one of the end walls IE or I9 as by screws 65 passing through vertically elongated openings 66 in the brackets 6!. Such arrangement permits the rod til to be easily shifted vertically so that its ends may extend through openings in the grills {it in those different relative positions of the face plates 5 and 55 relative to the housing I i made necessary by the fioor or walls at different installations.

While those embodiments of our invention hereinbefore illustrated and described are capable of performing all of the objects primarily stated, various alterations may be made in such embodiments without departing from our invention. We wish our invention to be understood, therefore, as not limited to the specific forms of the apparatus illustrated in the drawing and described herein but as including all variations thereof which come within the scope of the claims which follow.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a device for discharge of gas, the combination of: walls defining a delivery passage; a damper in said passage; restraining members connected to said walls on each side of said damper adjacent its upper edge and restraining horizontal movement and permitting vertical movement of the upper portion of said damper; a non-serrated support connected to said walls; and a bearing surface on said damper intermediate its top and bottom, said bearing surface being in Sliding engagement with said support whereby said damper may be swung, said bearing surface being so near the horizontal line through the center of gravity of said damper that said damper remains in any position in which it is placed upon said support.

2. In a device for discharge of gas, the combination of: walls defining a delivery passage; a damper in said passage; baflle members connected to said walls and converging downwardly, the inner edges of said baffle members defining a slot in which the upper portion of said damper is received for free vertical movement and restrained from horizontal movement; a non-serrated support connected to said walls; and a bearing surface on said damper intermediate its top and bottom, said bearing surface being in sliding engagement with said support whereby said damper may be swung.

3. In a device for discharge of gas, the combination of walls defining a delivery passagef a damper in said passage; baflle members connected to said walls and converging downwardly, the inner edges of said baffle members defining a slot in which the upper portion of said damper is received for free vertical movement and restrained from horizontal movement; a non-serrated support rotatably mounted in said walls; and a bearing surface on said damper intermediate its top and bottom, said bearing surface being in sliding engagement with said support whereby said damper may be swung, said bearing surface being at approximately the center of gravity of said damper whereby the center of gravity of said damperremains at approximately the same level during all of its tilting movement, said support being spirally formed whereby said damper is moved along said support by rotation of said support.

4.. In a device for discharge of gas, the combination of walls defining a delivery passage; a damper in said passage; restraining members connected to said walls and respectively disposed on opposite sides of said damper at a position adjacent its upper edge for restraining horizontal movement and permitting vertical movement of the upper portion of said damper; a bearing surface on said damper intermediate its top and bottom; and a non-serrated support connected to said walls and providing a substantially smooth surface slidably engaged by said bearing surface and along which said bearing surface can slide during swinging of said damper.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 in which said support extends substantially horizontally and in which at least a portion of the weight of said damper is supported by said support through said engagement of said bearing surface and said support.

6. In a device for discharge of gas, the combination of: walls defining a delivery passage; a damper in said passage; baffle members connected to said Walls and providing inner edges defining a slot in which the upper portion of said damper is received for free vertical movement while being restrained from substantial horizontal movement; a substantially straight support connected to said walls at a position below said slot; and a bearing surface on said damper intermediate its top and bottom, said bearing surface being in sliding engagement with said support, at least a portion of the Weight of said damper being transmitted to said support through said bearing surface, said damper sliding up and down in said slot as said bearing surface advances along said substantially flat support.

7. In a device for discharge of gas, the combination of: walls defining a delivery passage; a damper in said passage; restraining members connected to said walls and respectively disposed on opposite sides of said damper at a position near its upper edge for restraining horizontal movement of said damper while permitting vertical movement of the upper portion of said dam er; a support rotatably "mounted relative to said walls and extending in a direction substantially transverse to said damper, said support comprising a spirally-disposed damper-engaging portion; and a bearing surface on said damper intermediate its top and bottom, said bearing surface being in sliding engagement with said support as said support is rotated, said spirally-disposed portion of said support engaging said damper to advance said bearing surface along said support upon rotation of said support to swing said damper upon such rotation.

8. A device as defined in claim 7, in which said support is disposed below said restraining members, and in which at least a portion of the weight of said damper is transmitted to said support by said bearing surface.

9. A device as defined in claim 7, in which said damper provides an opening having an upper surface providing said bearing surface, and in which said support and its spirally-disposed portion are threaded through said opening.

10. A device as defined in claim 9, in which said opening is longer in vertical dimension than in horizontal width to accommodate said support when said damper is swung to an extreme position.

JAMES STANLEY JOHNSON. KARL LEON BEDELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

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